Downeaster Trackwork & Upgrades

Amtrak announced that they will be increasing DownEaster trips to 4 daily.

I've recently heard from three different sources that CSX eventually wants to double track the mainline from the Massachusetts-New Hampshire state line all the way to Royal Junction. If this is true — and I don't know if it is — it would be fantastic news for both freight rail and passenger rail. NNEPRA could add more trains and reduce running time.

Haven't heard that but I know they want to go 60....

I was fairly stunned when I heard it, and it could very well be the usual railroaders-playing-tricks-on-railfans type of rumor... but it's an exciting thought.

Info has been hard to come by so who knows!

Where is Royal Junction?

Royal Junction is at CPF 185, just east of Greely Road on the Cumberland/Yarmouth town line. It's where the Brunswick Branch (former MEC Lower Road) meets the Freight Mainline (former MEC Back Road). It is named for the nearby Royal River.

I wonder if they even still own/retain enough of the RoW to be able to build a double track railroad. Seems like there are certain places along the line where there may no longer be the space.

There has been some encroachment in certain spots but the railroad still owns the entire ROW. The folks who encroached will have to get out of the way.

MEC407 - thanks for your detailed reply. On some railroad forums people who are not "in the know" don't get treated very well.

You're welcome!

Speaking of junctions, this map also shows Yarmouth Junction, which is where the Brunswick Branch (MEC Lower Road) meets the former St. Lawrence & Atlantic mainline (ex-CN, ex-Grand Trunk, now owned by the State of Maine).

One place I can think of where I recall seeing some encroachment is up at Old Orchard Beach. Pretty sure some structures would need to be moved in order to squeeze a second track through that corridor with all the hotels, restaurants, parking lots, etc being right up against the RoW.

Some busy double track mains still have the occasional short section of single track. For example, I understand that the bnsf transcon still has a couple of short single track sections at some river bridges. So, if this ever happens, maybe it is not 100 percent 2 tracks. Unless government puts up big $ to do this, I don’t see it unless csx has plans for sneaky big increases in tonnage. With adequate, lengthy sidings, quite a bit of volume can move on single track ctc. Perhaps more sidings are added first.

Yep, there are inevitably going to be some sections that can't be reasonably double tracked. If there's enough double iron on either side they should not be too much of a bottleneck. That said, I personally don't see the tonnage or number of trains even including Amtrak that would warrant wholesale double tracking. I could see some additional track put back in but not all of it.

Fully continuous double track seems like a reach....but there are definitely some relatively easy gaps to fill that would dramatically improve capacity between Plaistow and Royal.

Building ~15 miles of new double iron to connect Wells and Ocean Park would create 24 miles of continuous double track. The RoW is well preserved through Kennebunk and even through Biddeford/Saco. (Although that would probably involve a rebuild of the platforms at the Saco Transit Center)

Another ~15 miles would connect Plaistow to Rockingham Junction with continuous double track.

East of Rigby, There's just 3 miles separating the passing siding in Riverton and the new Royal Junction double track.

I really can't see CSX pushing for fully continuous double iron all the way. Getting the RoW cleared and rebuilt through Portland, Old Orchard and Dover would be a nightmare....There's no way there would be enough traffic to justify that kind of investment...unless CSX really see's the possibility of running multiple daily intermodal jobs to Saint John and NNEPRA wants the Downeaster to make 10+ roundtrips daily.